Hot Hot Hot

Jeepers, it has been hot! The thermometer has been reaching past 100 and the humidity is thick. Everything, including our house, is beginning to reek of stale hot air. To join the chorus of everybody else, it has been miserable.

It has been too hot to use our stove or oven, so I have resorted to the grill for meal preparation. Tired of the hamburgers and hot dogs which have become our summer staples, I searched for more creative recipes. I quickly decided on "beer-in-the-butt chicken."

Scott likes beer, but he only drinks Corona. I was doubtful that the glass bottle would work, so I knew I was going to have to become creative. After some quick Google searches, I learned that any beverage in a can will work. I opted to make a more family-friendly version, which I dubbed "Ginger ale in the butt chicken."

With the bird fully prepped and the grill hot, I was ready to get started. I carefully placed the chicken, with the can strategically inserted for balance, on the hot grill. Satisfied with my placement, I was getting ready to close the lid. This is the moment when I learned that chickens are flammable. Actually, to be more precise, the skin is flammable. My poor little chicken had turned into a charred fireball, still balancing on a soda can despite his wings fully aflame.

I managed to put out the poultry fire and I evaluated the damage. The skin was ruined, but we don't typically eat that anyway. I was hoping that the meat could be salvaged, so I turned down the heat and proceeded with the grilling. It turned out delicious, albeit with an especially strong charbroiled flavor. I need to Google why it went ablaze before I attempt the recipe again.

We have been trying to stay cool inside, occupying our time with movies and games. I am so glad that I took the time to clean the downstairs family room. This area of the house is naturally cool and has been the most comfortable place to congregate. We have even begun "family picnics" downstairs so that we can stay cooler.

Unfortunately, a week of living downstairs has taken its toll on my neat and tidy room. The floor is now littered with assorted little cars, trains and dinosaurs and the coffee table is covered with cans and glasses. It won't take long to clean up the mess and as soon as the heat breaks and it is easier for me to walk. But for now, Scott and I just step over and around the toy piles.

Like so many others, I swell when the air is humid. To Scott's chagrin, I frequently take off my wedding ring in the summer months because my finger becomes so puffy the ring is uncomfortable. During the past few days I have noticed that my prosthetic is becoming tighter. I now have to lubricate the rings on my seal-in liner before donning my leg. Even with the added slickness, my stump is bulging over the top of my prosthetic and it feels extremely compressed inside my socket.

I have begun taking a mild diuretic in the morning in order to keep my residual limb from swelling. I hate resorting to pills, but I also know that it helps. I'm uncomfortable when it's hot, but it is absolutely miserable when I'm hot and my leg doesn't fit!

I have resorted to bringing out Robby's Christmas DVDs, partially to keep him entertained but also because it reminds me that cooler temperatures will eventually prevail. Unfortunately those songs quickly become stuck in my head. I am sure I was quite a sight at the grocery store, limping around in a sun dress singing "Let it Snow" with Robby. Oh well, at least I was feeling cooler!